Hobbit Oddities
by raindrops-and-dreams
Summary: "Bilbo, why does your face change?" Based on the idea that every other race has gender specific names (ellon/elleth, dwarrow/dwarrowdam, man/woman) but hobbits just have hobbit.


Things often happen in life that you cannot change. There are rules that have been in place centuries before your very birth. For hobbits, one of these rules is the Searmanais Athraithe. The Searmanais Athraithe was only created due to the fear of men and their expected gender roles.

I suppose to understand it completely, I will have to tell you the secret of the hobbits. Hobbits are born without a gender, or perhaps you would say with both genders. Their bodies change through will, emotions or necessity. However, shortly after moving to their current abode in the Shire, the Children of Man became violent- deciding that hobbits were unnatural. This inevitably led to the creation of the Searmanais Athraithe, when a hobbit most choose to be 'male' or 'female' by the gendered roles perceived from men. Now, for some hobbits this is fine- they lean further one way or the other- but there are other hobbits (like our dear Bilbo Baggins) that found it truly difficult for their minds to settle on one or the other. This leads us to where we are now: Bilbo joined the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, talked with trolls, met elves, was a bunny, fought spiders, orcs and wargs, rode barrels, riddled with a dragon, and saved the line of Durin by convincing and elven healer to help them. Now we may begin.

The Company sits in the royal healing tent, enjoying a celebratory meal, when Nori tactlessly asks a question that had been annoying them all: "Bilbo, why does your face change?"

Bilbo merely raises an eyebrow at the thieving spy, "In case you haven't noticed, I think you'll find everyone's faces change. They're called expressions."

Bofur snorts at Bilbo's sass, while Nori gives him a deadpan look. Balin- ever the politician- attempts to be slightly more tactful, "I believe Nori is trying to ask about something we all have noticed over the journey, your facial structures and body shape tend to... change?"

The surrounding dwarrows all note how Bilbo's muscles immediately tense, and how his teeth wear away at his chapped and bloodied lip. "Well, it's just what hobbits do." Bilbo declares.

"But, Master Boggins, what is it that they do?" Kili's many wounds are not even enough to deter the boys usual enthusiasm- much to his healer's dismay.

"Well," Bilbo thinks for a moment before continuing, his dwarves would never hurt him. He's certain. "It's a Shire secret, but it was only created due to men." Bilbo nods as decisively as he continues, "Hobbits did not always live in the Shire, before that there were the wondering days, and before that they lived somewhere East. But when we settled in the Shire the men began to notice, and when they noticed they became violent towards us. Said we were unnatural. You see, hobbits are neither male or female- we're both, or neither, I suppose it depends how you think about it-" Bilbo is forced to stop by the ruckus his dwarves are causing. His head swings back and forth looking between them all as the shout.

Thorin gives his dwarrow a tired glare, "Shazara!" He bellows, silencing them all. "Bilbo, please continue." He requests at a more reasonable volume.

Bilbo thinks and then continues, "Ah, well, you see our bodies, they change between female and male, either as we choose, due to our emotions, or out of necessity. For example my body stayed mostly male for the journey because bleeding monthly on the road would problematic."

"But you were male when we met you!" Gloin points out obviously.

"Yes, well I was coming to that. That is due to the Searmanais Athraithe. The Changing Ceremony. When we come of age we have to pick 'male' or 'female'. It's based on men's genders because they're the reason we must use them. Any questions?" Bilbo should have known better than to ask that, because suddenly there was a roar of dwarves shouting questions at him.

"Shazara!" Thorin's bellows once again. "We shall ask one question each, one at a time." He commands, "Bofur you're first."

The behatted dwarf actually thinks through his question before asking it, "So, do you feel more like men's males than there females?"

A small frown tugs on Bilbo's lips, he'd never truly been happy since the choosing, "Um, no. I'm one of the few that do not lean a particular way. I'm both, and if it wasn't the law, I would happily change between both." Bofur gave him a nod, although the dwarf frowned slightly at what Bilbo had said.

Bifur was next, as he barks in gravelly Khazad-dul. Bofur listens before turning to Bilbo, "He said pronouns?"

Bilbo nods, "When I'm in a birthing body I'm a she, a siring body is he. So right now I'm he." Bilbo looks expectantly at Bombur.

The round dwarf blushes as eyes turn to him, still he questions, "Does swapping hurt?"

Bilbo smiles softly at his friend, "No, it's as easy as breathing."

Dori frowns and- as it was now his turn- asks, "If it is like breathing, does it hurt to not change?"

"No, no- it's, well, I suppose- kind of?" Bilbo rambles. "It's easier for some people, but it's more that it mentally hurts, I suppose?" At the dwarves scowls he quickly continues, "It's kind of like a sadness when I'm in my siring body but I feel I should be in my birthing one. Like depression." Some of the dwarves start scowling so Bilbo quickly defends his people, "But it's necessary for protection."

Ori- the clever boy he is- enquires, "Is it siring and birthing bodies rather than male and female?"

Bilbo gives him a soft smile, "Yes, exactly." Ori scribbles everything he is learning in his notebook.

"Names." Nori says. The sneaky dwarf doesn't pose a question per se, but Bilbo still answers.

"Siring body is Bilbo, birthing body is Bluebell. Well, Belle. Nobody's ever really called me Bluebell- apart from when I got into trouble." Bilbo grins sheepishly at the last part.

Gloin loudly asks, while he continues to sign to Oin to make understanding easier, "What about before this Changing Ceremony thing?"

"Children have free reign," Bilbo shrugs, "How can you know who you want to be if you don't explore it?" The dwarves grumble an agreement.

"I want to talk about health and medicine later." Oin speaks loudly, half glaring at Bilbo, who knows better than to argue with the wizened healer.

Fili and Kili grin at Bilbo, although their eyes show caution. Together they query, "Can we see?" Thorin whacks Fili upside the head, while Dwalin whacks Kili.

Bilbo just smiles, "Alright." All heads flick towards him. Slowly his features begin to morph, his face becomes softer, his hips widen and his breast fill out, his hormones fluctuate for a moment before settling. Finally the process finishes and the dwarves gape.

Balin recovers first, "Bi-Belle, the contract-"

"Signed legally, don't worry." Her voice is distinctly Bilbo, but higher, softer, and almost more musical.

Dwalin just grunts, "Doesn't change anything." Belle gives him a huge smile that makes him grumble into his beard.

Thorin looks Belle in the eye, "Will you be staying?"

Belle startles slightly at the change in topic. She gives him a shy smile, "If you want me." The tent fills with yells that they want her to stay.

Belle grins, "Then I'll stay." Cheers raise into the night. All was good.


End file.
